Turbine wheel



April 8 1924.

F. M. ZOTTOLI TURBINE WHEEL (1921 l 2 sheets-sheet 1 l Filed Dec IJllllli 'L r l l l Il M EY MW'WWX/mys- Patented Apr. 8, 1924.

UNITED STATES FRANK n; zo'r'roLr, or Bos'ron, MASSACHUSETTS.'

TURBINE WHEEL.

Application led December To /JZZ w71 om t may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK M. Zo'rToLI, a citi-zen of the United States,residing at Boston, county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, haveinvented a certain newand useful Improvement in Turbine Vheels, of whichthe following is a specification, reference being had therein to theaccompanying drawings.

The invention relates to new and useful improvements in turbine wheels.It is especially intended for application to turbine wheels which aremounted to turn on a vertical axis and are set in the midst of thecurrent so that the current flows on bothV sides of the wheel. Thespecial object of the invention is to provide an improvement in turbinewheels in which, although in the latter partoic each revolution of thewheel, that is in the return movement that portion of the wheelis'rotating counter to the direction of flow of the current which drivesthe wheel, yet the resistance of the current to the return movementshall be much less than the pressure on the forward movement, and infact reduced to almost nothing. Another object of the invention is toconstruct the wheel in such manner that it is adapted for use both wherethe current is always running in the same direction, as in the case of ariver, and also where the direction of the current reverses, flowingsometimes in one direction and sometimes inthe reverse direction, as inthe case of tides. Another object of the invention is to provide meansfor increasing the power and velocity of the wheel.

One feature of the invention relates to the blades andconsists informing them of the floating character so-called; that is, having thempivoted to a central body so that the blades may yield to the resistanceon the backward movement in the rotation and offer. less resistance tothe back pressure. Another feature of the invention consists inproviding a floating core or body to which the blades are attached.rinotherfeature of the invention consists in providing deflecting wallson the exterior by which a current of water is deliected from a broaderchannel to a graduallyvdecreasing width lof channel until it vstrikesthe blades Vthereby increasing the velocity and the force of the wateruntil it reaches its maximum when it 3, 1921. serial no. 519,753.

strikes the blades. Another feature of the invention consists inproviding the sluices between the defiecting walls with transverse ribs.tion is to so construct the blades and con.- nect them with the body ofthe wheel in such manner that if a portion of the wheel projects abovethe surface of the water, the portion of the blades above the surfacewill be folded during the entire revolution of the .wheel so as to stillfurther reduce the resistance. rOther features of the invention will bemore fully set forth hereinafter in the specification and claims. Theinvention will be fully understood from the following descriptionwhentaken in connection with the accompanying drawings, and the novelfeatures thereof will be pointed out and clearly defined in the claimsat the close of this specication.

inthe drawings, Fig. l is a horizontal sectional view of a turbine wheeland apparatus embodying the invention in the Another feature of theinven form intended for use at tide water, and

operative when the tide is either ebbing or liowing, the wheel beingshown in a position of rest.

F ig. Q. is a vertical section on line 2 2 of F ig. l.

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic View illustrating the application to a deviceset in tide Water when the current is ilowing.- v

F ig. d is a diagrammatic view of a modiied form of construction ofwalls which is intented for use when the current is always flowing inthe same direction. F ig. 5 is a plan view showing the adaptation of theinvention as embodied in a wheel connected with a float. Y

, Fig. 6 is a diagram illustrating the application to a boat ofa wheelembodying the invention.

Referring now to the drawings, there is provided a cylindrical drum l towhich the blades 2 are connected, as will be hereinafter described, saiddrum being intended to be mounted on a. vertical axis and beingpreferably provided with a head 3 at its upper end and a head 4 at itslower end, so that it will be water-tight. The drum may, however, beopen at the top, if not submerged.V

At its lower end it is provided with a downwardly extending verticalshaft or stud 5 which is journalled in a base or bed member 6,preferably also being provided with a washer 7. The drum is adapted torotate on its vertical axis. y

At its upper end itis provided with an upwardly extending vertical shalt8 journalled in an overhead bearing ineinber 9. Said shaft 8 carriessuitable mechanism for transmitting the power to the machinery which isto be driven.

The blades 2 which are curved as usual in turbine wheels, are eachpivotally connected at 10 with the outer periphery or the drum l. Thereis also provided on the outer periphery of the drum a series ofshoulders 'il equal in number to the blades of the turbine so that thereis a shoulder 1l provided against the back or each blade to serve as astop to lirnit the swing of the blade on its pivot in the direction ofthe current pressure. As will be noted, however, the blade is i'ree toturn on its pivot in the reverse direction. Preferably the pivoted endof the blade is rounded on an arc or' a circle, as shown at l2, and litsinto an arc-shaped seat Vformed in front of the shoulder il so as toallow the blade to turn on its pivot with the least friction possible.

lreferably each blade is niade in sections, one above the other, asshown in Figure 2, the lines i3 indicating the divisions between thevertical sections of a single blade. The purpose oi this is so that ilthe turbine is only partially submerged in the water the severalsections o' the blade which are entirely above the surface or the watermay be retained folded against the druin in the manner hereafterdescribed during the entire revolution of the wheel, thereby reducingthe ainount of resistance which the blades otter to theJ rotation of thewheel, while the submerged blades are spread oA en again when in thecourse or the rotation o the it. A

wheel the blades are travelling in the direction of the current. I

T he shai't 8 the upper end or the druin is, as already stated,connected with suitable mea-ns for transmitting the power. ln the fornishown in the drawings, the shalt en tends up through the bearing`niernber 2 and its upper end is journalled in a second bearing memberPreferably washers 'l' 'are provided where the shaft r sses through thebearings 9 and la. Intermedi ate the two bearing niernbers 9 and 11ithere are providedtransinission gears, lllonntc l on the shaft F9 is agear l5 having teeth which engagewith a 16 mounted on a horizontaldriven shalt l?, which in turn may be connected with any apparatus whichit is iiitended to drive, There is also mounted on said shaft 8 a bevelgear 1.71 which engages with the b rel gear niounted on a driven shaft20, vso that ne set of apparatus niay be driven through the shalt 17 andanother set of apparatus may be driven through the shaft- 20. lt isobvious that only one driven shaft inay be employed, if desired.

Rising from the bed 6 on two opposite sides oll the wheel and at soinedistance theretroni are the walls 21 and 22. The wall 21 has a branchportion 26 which sweeps around toward the wheel at the left hand side ofthe wheel as viewed in Fig. 1, terminating at the periphery of thecircle described by the outer edges oli the blades Vin the rotation ofthe wheel. The wall 22 has a portion fl-l which sweeps around toward thewheel on the oppositie. side 'from the portion 26, said portion Sillterminating at the periphery oic the circle described by the blades oi?the. wneel. A wall 29 which merges with the wall Sli-l i ruis, togetherwith the wall 2l. a converging channel for the water as the wheel fromthe right hand terinediate wall 23 between the walls 21 and 29 dividesthe channel into two portions. rlhe walls 23 and 29 forni a convergingpassage 'for a portion of the water from the right hand side and directthe water at an angle against the blades on the front side of the wheel.The walls 21 and 23 torni a sluiccway which directs the vater againstthe blades at the side of the wheel alniost all oli' the way around'from the end ot the wall at the inlet side to the outlet side betweenthe walls 25 and 28.

intermediate the walls 23 and 21 with its branch portion 2".y there areprovided a. plurality of walls 2? which efr'end inwardly to thecircumference of the circle described by the outer edges or" the bladesand extend outwardly into the space between the walls'2?) and 21. Saidwalls 2'? are arranged in converging relation to each other and torni aseries of short and narrow converging pas sages from the slnicewaybetween the walls 23 and 2l through which the water will bedeliveredagainst the blades in succession and at an angle thereto.

A wall 25 which is connected with the wall 26 iporins, together with thewall 22, an outlet passage for the water, assume,ingy that the currentCorning from the right hand side as viewed in the drawings. n, wall 28intermediate the walls 25 and 22 and corresponding with the wall 23divides the inain channel between the walls 25 and so as to torni twooutlet. passages. the main outlet being between the walls 25 and 28which diverge from each other toward the l l and lele, if any of thcwater is carried past the wall arged through the passage 28 it will bediscl Y between the walls 22 and 28.

lf the apparatus is located in tide water where the current reverses,then when the tide turns that the current will be from left toward theright, as TJiewed in Fig. l, the inlet will be betweenthe w s 25 and 28and between the walls 22 and 2S while the sluiceways between the walls29 and 23 will form the main outlet. A series of walls similar to thewalls 27 are provided between the wall 28 and the wall 22 and its branch341 to aid in directing the water against the blades of the wheel whenthe current is from the left toward the right, as viewed in Fig. 1.Preferably there is a bend in the wall 21 at the point a and in the wall22 at the point Z) so as to deflect the water running through thepassages both on the left and right sides of the wheel toward the wheel.

It will thus be seen that there are a series of successive points in anarc of about 180, that is, from the inlet around to the outlet side ofthe wheel, at which different currents of water will be directed againsteachV blade.

The converging passages will increase the velocity and force of thewater.

The wall-25 is provided with a dog v31 pivoted to its inner end at 32,and the wall 29 has a similar dog 33 pivoted thereto ai' said dogs eachreally forming a part of their respective walls 25, 29, the inner endsof the dogs coinciding with an arc of the circle described by the outeredges of the rotating blades 2.

mien the current is flowing in the direction shown in Figure 3, that is,from right to left, as indicated by the arrows, assoon as a blade beginsto travel in a backward direction, it will be moving against the for?ward pressure of the current which, it will be understood, flows on bothsides of the wheel, and the forward pressure on the back side of theblade will turn the blade on its pivot causing it to be turned downtoward the drum, thus offering less resistance to the forward'pressureof the water than if the blade were rigidly connected with the drum.

The forward pressure of the water when moving in this direction willswing the dog 33 on its pivot into Vthe position shown in Figure 3. Thedog should be of the right spread so that when thus turned it willextend just about far enough radially inward for the bladesin theirfolded position to sweep past it. The purpose of the dog is to shut outto some extent at least the flow o-f the water through the passagetraversed by the blades on the return movement, and thus diminish theback pressure on the blades. The other dog 31 will remain closed as longas the current continues to flow. When the current reverses in directionfrom that shown in Figure 3, the dog 33 will be closed and the dog 31will be opened.

The modified form shown in Figure 4 is intended for use when the ow isalways in one direction', as in the case of a. river. The constructionof the wheel itself is just the same as shown in Figure 1, the onlydifference being in o-mitting the duplicate set of walls previouslydescribed for use when the current flows in the opposite direction, andpreferably bring the curved deflecting wall 26 somewhat further around,say about two-thirds, so as to be eective part way of the return pathofthe blades, as shown in Figure 4.

In the forms already described, itl is assumed that the apparatus willbe set on the ground which forms the bed of the river or tide waterwherever it is employed, the bed plate and the walls in such case beingheavy enough to remain in positionV by theirown weight; yfor instance,the preferred method is to make them of concrete. As the water is ofvarying depth at different times, as by the rising and falling of thet-ide in -tide water, or by varying heights in a river owing to naturalcauses, the blades are preferably previously referred to, so that thesections which are entirely unsubmerged and therefore not exposed to thedirect current may be allowed to lie idly folded against theV drum so asto reduce the resistance which they offer to the rotation of the wheel.

Instead of having thel apparatussta tionary on the bed of the streamort-he sea, it may be mounted on afloat so that it can rise or fall andthereby always be maintained in the same, position with relation to thesurface of the water. In the form shown in Figure 5, there are providedfioat- Y ing side walls 134-134 which serve as a mount for the remainingportions of the apparatus. V i

The device is also adapted for use asa' motor for a boat, as showndiagrammati-V cally in Figure 6. In said figure, represents a boat,having the turbineand its walls constructed as already described and asindicated at 36, secured to the bottom of the boat. The shaft 20 whichis connected by suitable gearing with the vertical shaft 8 constitutes apropeller shaft carrying the propeller blades 37. The apparatus thusforms a motor to drive the boat which may be steered in any directionafter the ordinary method of steering a boat.

A turbine constructed and used as I have described would preferablybemade larger, both axially and radially, than a wheel which is drivenby a fall of water, as the current in a river or tide usually movesslower than falling water.

Whatl I cla-im is:

1. Incombination with a turbine wheel mounted on a vertical axis, asluiceway in which said wheel. is set, said sluiceway having two wallswhich form ank entrance passage for the water, one of the walls of themade in sections, as Y inlet extending along side of the wheel'at y somedistance away from the sweep'of the 'blades and then turning andextending to the periphery of the circle described by the sweep of theYblades at a point just before' the outlet passage begins, whereby thefull force of the free current will be directed against each blade insuccession just before it reaches the point where the water passes intothe outlet channel.

2. ln combination with a turbine wheel mounted on a Vertical axis, asluiceway in which said wheel is set open to tide water at each end,said sluiceway having walls which forni an entrance passage and anoutlet passage for the tide water in whichever direction the currentflows, one of the walls which form the entrance passage during therising of the tide extending along one side of the wheel at soniedistance away from the sweep of the blades and then 'turning andextending to the periphery of the circle described by t-he sweep of theblades at a point just before the outlet passage begins, and one of thewalls which form the entrance passage during the fall of the tideextending along side of the wheel at sonne distance therefrom on theopposite side of the wheel from the outer wall of the entrance passagefor the water on the rising tide, and` then turning and extending to theperiphery of the sweep of the blades at a point just before the outletpassage on the ebb tide begins, whereby the full force of the freecurrent will be directed against each blade in succession just before itreaches the point where the water passes into the outlet channel, inwhichever direction the tide is flowing.

3. ln combination with a turbine wheel mounted on a vertical axis, aplurality of walls arranged with their inner ends extending to theperiphery of the wheel7 two of the walls being so disposed as to formvan inlet and two of the walls forming an outlet, one of the pair ofwalls which form the entrance channel extending along one side of thewheel at some distance therefrom and then turning and extending to theperiphery of the circle described by the outer edges of the blades,thereby directing the current of water against each blade in successionjust before it reaches the outlet, said inlet channel extendingsubstantially half way around the periphery of the wheel at one sidethereof until it nearly reaches the outlet channel, the inlet and theoutlet channel walls being so disposed that the two channels are offsetin their direction with relation to each other.

4. ln combination with a turbine wheel, a plurality of walls arranged ina series out side of said wheel, said walls being arranged with theirinner ends extending to the periphery of the circle described by theouter edges of the blades of the wheel thereby forming a plurality ofconverging passages to the wheel, two of the walls on each of twoopposite sides being so disposed as to form the side walls of a channelto converge the flow of the water toward the wheel on one side and todiverge the liow after it has passed through the wheel on the 0ppositeside and other converging walls in said series forming intermediateauxiliary sluiceways. y

5. ln combination with a turbine wheel, a plurality of walls arranged ina series outside of said wheel, said walls being arranged wilh theirinner ends extending to the periphery of the circle described by theouter edges of the blades of the wheel thereby forming a plurality ofconverging pasi to thc wheel, two of the walls on each of the twoopposite sides being so disposed as to lform side walls of a channel toconverge the flow of the current toward the wheels on'one side and todiverge the current after it has passed through the wheel on theopposite side and other converging walls in said series formingintermediate auxiliary sluiceways, the blades of said wheel beingpivotally connected therewith yin such manner that they are foldedagainst the hub of the wheel in the return part of the rotation of thewheel counter to the current, one of the main sluiceway walls having apiyoted portion adjacent the periphery of the circle described by theblades which is adapted to be turned-back `with its face against thestationary wall andwith one surface adjacent the periphery of the circledescribed by the rotation of the blades when the blades are in theirnormal, outer position and which is adapted to be turned lon its pivotsoy as to swing said pivoted portion transversely of the passage. Y

G, ln combination with a turbine wheel mounted on a vertical axis, twoVertical walls in vconverging rela-tion to each other which direct theflow of the water to the blades of the wheel at an angle thereto andwhose inner ends extend to the periphery of the circle described by theblades in the rotation of the wheel, a third wall which extends alongone side. of the wheel Yat seine distance therefrom and then turnsand-extends to the periphery of the circle described by the outer edgesof the blades in the rotation of the wheel and forms together with oneof said first two walls another water passage, a plurality of shortwalls in said second passage arranged in a series in an arc of a circle,their inner ends extending to the periphery of the path of mor/ementdescribed by the blades .in their rotation, their outer ends extendingonly part way'toward said outside wall, said short walls forming aplurality of passages to the blades of the wheel at an angle thereto andwalls onthe outlet side of the wheel forming an outlet. passage for thewater.

7. ln combination with a turbine wheel mounted on a vertical axis, twovertical walls in converging relation to each other which direct theflow of the water to the blades of the wheel at an angle. thereto andwhose inner ends extend to the periphery of the circle described by theblades in the rotation of the wheel, a third wall which extends alongone side. of the wheel at some distance therefrom and then turns andextends to the. Aperiphery of the circle described by the outer edges ofthe blades in the rtation of the wheel and forms together with one ofsaid first two walls another pas sage for the water, a. plurality ofshort walls in said second passage arranged in a series in an arc of a.circle, their inner ends extending to the periphery of the circledescribed by the outer edges of the blades in their rotation, theirouter ends. extending only part way toward saidV outside wall, saidshort walls forming a plurality of passages to the blades of theV wheeland'walls on the outlet side. of the wheel forming an outlet passage forthe water` said outlet passage being offset in its direction with Irelation to the direction of the inlet channel.

S. In combination with a lturbine wheel mounted On a vertical axis, twowalls which form a slui-ceway extending along one side of the wheel, theouter of said walls extending farther forward than the inner one of saidwalls and having at its forward end a bent port-ion which extends aroundto the periphery of the circle described by the outer edges of theblades, the inner of said walls extending to the periphery of the circledescribed by said blades but at a point nearer the approach end of thechannel than the said other wall and a plurality of short wallsintermediate the ends of said two first walls spaced apart from eachother7 whose inner ends extend to the periphery of the circle describedby said blades at 'points between the inner ends: of said two firstwalls, the outer ends of said second series of walls extending onlypartially across the space between said two first walls.

9. In combination with a turbine wheel mounted on a vertical axis, twowalls which forni a sluiceway extending along One side of the wheel, theouter one of said Vwalls extending farther forward than the inner one ofsaid walls and having at its forward end a bent portion which extendsaround to the periphery of the. circle described by the outer edges ofthe blades, the inner of said walls extending to the periphery of thecircle described by said blades but at a point nearer the approach endof the channel than the. other wall, and a plurality of short wallsintermediate the ends of said two Erst walls spaced apart from eachother, whose inner ends extend to the periphery of the circle describedby said blades at point-s between the inner ends of said two firstwalls,v the outer ends of said second series of walls extending onlypartially across the space between said two rst walls, said set of shortwalls being arranged in converging relation to each other so as to forma. plurality of converging passages to the. blades of the wheel at anangle to said blades.

In testimony whereof I aiix my signature. Y

FRANK M. ZOTTOLT.

